Sean Leonard becomes new rector at St. Dunstan's in Dover

Friday

Aug 26, 2016 at 12:01 AM

Leonard's road to St. Dunstan's began about 20 years ago. He grew up Roman Catholic, and had graduated from Bridgewater State. He went to Pennsylvania with his then-girlfriend, and began working with autistic children.

By Maureen Sullivan, msullivan@wickedlocal.com

Sean Leonard is happy to be in Dover, and just as happy to be back in Patriot Nation.

Leonard, who was born and raised in Mansfield, returned to the area earlier this month as the new rector of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church.

He comes from St. Mark’s Church in Orchard Park, N.Y., better known as the home of the Buffalo Bills, one of the Patriots’ AFC East rivals.

“I got kidded about it,” he said. “Especially when we’ve been beating them all these years…”

Leonard’s road to St. Dunstan’s began about 20 years ago. He grew up Roman Catholic, and had graduated from Bridgewater State. He went to Pennsylvania with his then-girlfriend, and began working with autistic children.

“I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do,” he said.

Leonard had not gone to church for several years. He and his girlfriend began attending Episcopal churches, including St. Thomas in Lancaster, Penn.

“It was a good experience,” he said.

Leonard then considered becoming an Episcopal priest.

“How could I become a priest?” he recalled. “I thought about it for months, and I wanted to convince my wife. She said, ‘I could see you doing that’.”

Leonard began the diocesan process in 2003, and graduated in 2006. After a term as assistant rector in York, Penn., he was called to be the rector at St. Mark’s.

In 2015, Leonard said he was “sensing the time to either move on or redefine my ministry, so I dipped my toe in the water.”

He began to search for positions in Massachusetts, and soon found out that St. Dunstan’s was looking for a rector.

He applied in the fall, was interviewed in December, had site visits in January and March, and “was called” in April.

“I fell in love with it,” he said of his new ministry. “This church has a passion for reaching out to the community … there are good people here.”